Hello,
I was at a chat on one of my AV lists and there was a fellow on there talking about PPM (parts per million) method of fertilizing.
At 100 PPM the AV is getting enough fertilizer...this works for all plants including orchids but not sure about acid loving plants though.
http://www.firstrays.com/fertcalc.htm
The numbers of fertilizers that he tried were: 15-30-15 and 20-20-20
Now there were other people there as well that attested to this method so I thought I would share it.
Here is the method:
1/2 tsp of fertilizer added to one gallon of water.
Take three cups of that fertilizer and get another gallon container and top up with water.
Use the second batch for your fertilizing. One lady said she had four AV that had not bloomed in almost a year and the only thing she changed was using this fertilizer.
Apparently within 3-4 weeks there is a noticeable difference. That ladies violets are all in bud now she said.
He suggested trying this method of fertilizing on three or four plants so that you can compare - results in stronger flower stalks and better coloring in the leaves and flowers
I am using the formulation now and will report back my findings....good or bad.
Thanks,
Joanne
PPM (parts per million) Method of fertilizing
Thanks, Joanne for sharing . Can you take before and after pictures of the plants your using ? I'm interested in how it works for you. Thanks, Allison
Hi Allison,
Oh I never thought of that....I will. Thank you for reminding me to do that!
Joanne
That is basically what I do. It's the easiest way to dilute orchid-intensity fertilizers (numbers in the 20s) to a concentration better suited to plants that want a weaker fertilizer. (this includes some orchids as well as gesneriads, ferns, lots of other houseplants etc.)
Not sure of the math but I think that is what I do as well. They say when wicking use half the recommended amount so I use 1/4 teaspoon per gallon. The math comes in when I deceided to reduced even more because I went to bigger wells and the grid. ( I was concerned about the evaporation resulting in a concentration of fertilizer.) Now, I only use 1/6 of the fertilizer per gallon and the blooms are fantastic AND they last longer. They had been in bloom for about 10 days when I put in the grid. It's three weeks later and they are still in bloom. SO that is at least 5 weeks of blooms. Some are just beginning to wilt. That is longer than any of my blooms have usually lasted.
Here's pictures of the av's with the new fertilizer formula
Another
And again
Two to go
last one is of Sticky Wicket. Can't believe the blooms.
Hi Nan,
Wow! They all look so very healthy! I have started using that formula so it will be another couple weeks so I am anxiously waiting to see how mine turn out. I started giving them all the new forumula but I will notice a difference I am sure.
Thanks for sharing them they are very lovely!
Joanne
I've been out of fertilizer for about a month. Waiting on VF-11 now. Everyone still seems happy .
Nanna your plants are wild ! I can't get over how beautiful they are. The picture where it says two more to go above it. What is the plant on the left in the back with all the pretty blue flowers ?
Thanks for sharing. Allison
That is Rob's Gundaroo. Just as happy as can be. I got her last year (just a wee thing then) from BetsyJ. She is in a 2 1/2 or maybe a little more, pot. Took forever to bloom the first time. This is the second blooming and the new bloom stocks just keep coming.
The backs of the petals are white and sometimes a tip of white comes to the front of the petal.
The leaves are so small. I haven't had much luck setting down small leaves. I'll give it another try. Or maybe I can find a small crown. Would you like one, Allison?
This message was edited Apr 7, 2006 5:16 PM
Don't know about Ray, but Rob of Violet Barn cautions about using too much fertilizer.
Yeah but can't you just use 1/4 ~ 1/8 teaspoon or so to each gallon like most of us do already.
Now with VF-11 being gently I never have a problem using recommended amount. It's always good idea to give your plants a break and when watering from bottom alone to leach plants .
I think we can use " I can anyways "recommended amounts without a special formulation. I like to keep things simple as when watering I use too many gallons of water to have to think about using a formula each time. I want simple if I need to use 1/4 tsp. thats what I use.
" BUT" this is for me if it's better for you or someone else to use a formula and it works well for you Don't break it !
Another great tip! While I am waiting on my order of AV 11, I'll try this method using 20-20-20 which I have on hand. Thanks again.
Don
Don
One important thing about VF-11 is it must be used alone. It's a good idea to either re-pot or leach all plants. When I first used it I re-potted all my plants then waited about a month before it came.
Now I have been out of fertilizer for a week and just ordered a gallon so I won't use anything until it gets here.
Thanks Allison. Maybe I'll hold off too. I use Super Thrive in my water. Do you think that will make a difference? Otherwise, I haven't used anything else.
Don
Don do yourself a favor and don't use Superthrive with VF-11. It will give you problems. You will see with the VF-11 it'a all you need !
Allison
Hi everyone,
Well this may not be for everyone but I do like to share any new info that I get.
I haven't even given VF-11 a chance yet but I have so much other fertilizer, figured I would try and get rid of some of it and see how it goes with this new formulation.
Thanks for all the great input!
Joanne
Okay, Nanna, what kind of fertilizer are you using? I have 2 trailers from Allison, both healthy, but they aren't even thinking about blooming.....I think it is something I am doing, or they are on strike after leaving sunny FL.....
Pam which trailers are they I 'd have to look them up . Did I give you Milky Way Trailer and it was blooming ?
If they came from me they were use to Humdity and being under lights12-16 hours each day/ In the sumer heat I cut light hours dwn.
Though even plant I have in my windows bloom all the time.
Do you have good air curculation, lights, eg. water and feeding program, plants don't touch each other and humdity ?
Pam I loked them up your got three trailers from me !
Fairy Fountains and Milky Way Trail were blooming you posted pictures oftem :)) And you got Rob 'sTooroka :)) How are they growing ? Must be getting large now. Do they need trans-planting ? I have grown these trailers many times they bloom easy even when small babies.
Go down the check list and see if your plants are getting everything they need :))
Allison, could I ask you to look up a couple of AV's I am thinking of buying and they are:
SUNRISE WALTZ, (S. Sorano 7995) – Standard and
GLITTER FOUNTAIN – (Fredette) – Standard.
I'd sure appreciate any info and tips you might know and/or
find.
Don
Sunrise Waltz (7995) 10/08/1993 (S. Sorano) Double red pansy. Crown variegated medium green and yellow, plain, ovate. Standard trailer
>>>>>
Glitter Fountain (I. Fredette) Semidouble pink/some red fantasy, red sparkle edge. Variegated dark green, cream and pink. Standard trailer
Nice trailers Don.
I sent Diane this one last week. Glitter Fountain :))
Sounds good, thank you, but can I ask what "Crown Variegated" means?
don
The crown is the center leaves on a plant. Trailer should and can have many crowns. Blooms come from crowns. The more crowns a trailer has the more it can bloom !
On this trailer the crown is variegated.
OK, so the leaf itself is not variegated then, right?
Don
I use Optimara 14-12-14. I divide the small packet into thirds and put each third in 1 gallon of water. The water is tap water that has rested in a large bucket for about 48 hours to get rid of all the chlorine.
to each gallon I add 1 drop of superthrive. Sometimes I use distilled water when I forget to tap water soon enough.
I have my trailers on the outer edge of the shelf but not at the end. The room is more humid than the rest of the house since I started using the large wells with the grid on top. I also have a fan on during the day to keep the air circulating. It is pointed at the ceiling not at the plants. AND I turn the radio on clasical music station about 8 hours a day. I read somewhere that plants like music and conversation. I admit it I talk to them every day. I stroke them, especially the leaves, and tell them how pretty they are. It sounds crazy, I know, but they respond.
My dog Maggie also loves to be in the plant room, too. It is just a peaceful place to be.
LOL, I can relate Nan. I talk to mine all the time and although they are fairly new little lovelies, they look pretty happy. Ü
Don
It takes time for the trailers to bloom. They really have to be root bound. If you transplant to soon the energy goes into the root system. This has been my experience. Sticky Wicket took more than a year before it bloomed the first time.
The trailer that Allison was asking about finally started to bloom when I potted it DOWN (went to a smaller pot)
Don, Glad to hear I'm not the only one.
Nanna, where did you get your green trays. I have the grid and I'm using it but only on the rickidy trays that you buy at Walmart.
Thanks,
Jesse
I just wanted to mention that like you, nanna, I do not have any success in putting down the mini or semi mini leaves. They always die on me. The others seem to be doing ok, just taking so long but the minis and semi mines die right away. I'm sticking to rooting the regular or larger ones.
Jesse
That is what I have to do, Jesse. I have had some success this time with semi minis. The minis ear for me but I am very inconsistent with watering, I guess, and the little ears of the minis turn brown and die. (I had watered from the top and got the crowns wet) This time I used matting and watered from the bottom and had a little better success. I think the key for me is wicking from the very beginning; as soon as the leaves are set. That will be my new experiment.
About the trays. They came with my stands. In another thread, Jill posted a site where you could purchase trays. Let me see if I can find it and bring it back. If I am not mistaken it is on the thread SATURDAY PROJECT.
Here is the link, Jesse:
www.parkseed.com
The trays are called Perma-Nest Tray. If I am not mistaken, Jill was using the same trays as you. They are much lighter and would bend under the weight of the water. She found this link and posted it.
Jesse
I just hit the site and all you do is enter the word "tray" in the search space. The Perma-Trays are at the bottom on the page.
Don sorry I fell asleep. But I think most cases Crown variegations means just the crown is variegated. But being a trailer and they have more than on crown you could get a lot of variegation !
Allison